Silicon Graphics, Incorporated

Cray Research, Inc.

Michael T Bye

Richard D Pribnow

Bricky A Stephenson

John Theodore Kline

James G Bravatto

Thomas J Davis

A ring computer network system having a communication controller for controller the receipt and sending of packets or messages at each client computer. The interface associated with each client computer includes a send message buffer and a receive message buffer. The send message buffer has a send message buffer counter which increments upwardly in response to messages being received from the client computer for sending on the ring network. The communication controller sends messages from the send buffer until the send message buffer counter reaches the address or a value associated with the last received message. Similarly, the receive message buffer includes a receive message buffer counter which increments as each message is received to a receive message buffer counter value. The receive message buffer is emptied until the receive message buffer counter value is reached. The receive buffer can also have a foreground portion and a background portion. The send buffer can also have a background portion and a foreground portion of memory. The communication controller continually switches between the foreground and background portions of memory and redesignates each memory portion after the switch. The communications controller can also recognize priority schemes for the messages.

Message buffering for a computer-based network

A memory reconfiguration system dynamically configures spare chips into memory during system operation by shifting data around defective chips. The shifting of data around an entire memory chip allows the system to correct bit, addressing, and control errors or faults within the chip. When the system detects an error, or otherwise initiates a memory reconfiguration, it transmits a configuration code to shift registers for a memory write driver. The shift registers, in response to the configuration code, shift write data so that the data is effectively shifted around a particular memory chip and into a spare memory chip. The system selectively transmits the configuration code to shift registers for a memory read driver. Therefore, the system independently shifts data written to the memory inputs and data read from the memory outputs.

Configurable spare memory chips

Growing community of inventors

Chippewa Falls, WI, United States of America

Michael T Bye